The Eleventh Crew Member
by Whyt Wulf
Summary: Serenity is the tenth crew member, right? Here's an AU story of one more addition to Mal's gang. Starts at The Message and extends through the BDM and possibly beyond. What would have happened if Tracey had been in on the plan on St. Albans?
1. Prologue: The Message

**Disclaimer**: None of these characters are my creation. I can wish and dream, and play in Joss's 'Verse, but he owns the characters that own my heart.

* * *

Prologue: The Message

_Don't do it._

Standing in the passageway just outside the bridge, Tracey whipped around to see who had spoken to him. Nobody was there. Hearing the conversation continue on the bridge, the crew discussing handing him over to Womack and his crew of corrupt Feds, Tracey returned his gaze to the guns lying just inside the door. All he had to do was grab one, stop the call, and he could escape from the Feds again. Maybe he could make it home to his ma and pa.

_Don't do it. He can help you._

Tracey turned again, but the passage was, once again, empty. He heard Sarge give the strange pilot the final order to call Womack. This couldn't go on. If Sarge and Zoë had their way, he'd be bleeding out in the snow inside of an hour, while those dirty cops made off with his stolen innards. Turning back and placing a hand on one of the guns, Tracey felt a blinding agony in his head. He must have screamed, because when the pain receded and he could see again, everybody was looking at him. From above. _Funny_, he thought, _I don't remember laying down_.

"Tracey, you okay?" Mal asked, helping the former private up. "The way you were screamin', it's a wonder the Feds aren't here yet."

"What's it matter to you if I'm okay, Sarge?" Tracey asked. "You just told him," he pointed in Wash's direction, "to call the Feds anyway. Seems to me you plan to sell me out to save your own skins."

"That why you were reachin' for my hardware, little man?" Jayne asked threateningly.

"Stow it, Jayne," Mal said, silencing the merc. "Tracey, you really think I'd sell you out to the Alliance for a pat on the head? I ain't out to hurt my friends, and that includes those I ain't seen in years. You may have mailed yourself and your troubles to us, but that don't mean I aim to dump you at the first sign of trouble." Mal gave Tracey a sad, sorrowful smile. "You may have forgotten in the tough times, private, but we don't leave men behind. Not even those who got troubles greater than our own."

"So, you're not aimin' to turn me over to Womack?" Tracey asked, a bit mystified. "Then why are you tryin' to meet with them dirty Feds?"

"Son," the strange preacher said, "did you know these officers were corrupt?" Tracey nodded. "We intend to chase them off, using just that fact. I believe it will be a simple matter of threatening them with legitimate authorities. You interested?"

Tracey looked at the Captain questioningly. "Does this plan include me livin' and Womack goin' away?" Mal nodded. "The I'm in. What've I gotta do?"

XXXXX

"Hey Womack," Tracey slurred from the catwalk. "I think I broke your junk."

"Little problem during shipping," Mal said from beside the younger man. He leaned on the rail of the catwalk, his pistol aimed casually at the Feds.

After a heated exchange, in which Book pointed out that the officers were about eight sectors out of their jurisdiction and that nobody was likely to miss them if they 'disappeared,' Womack seemed to lose his nerve. He spit on the ground near the shepherd's feet. "Damaged goods, anyhow," he said disdainfully. "Let's go, boys."

As Book closed the airlock, Tracey took Mal's hand and stood, laughing. "That was a good plan, Mal. I'm awful grateful." Mal waved off his old friend's gratitude. Tracey looked up suddenly, a smile on his face. "Hey, Sarge, you wanna go see my folks? I reckon we could get a hot meal and some good drink."

"Food?" Jayne burst out. "And drink? Do ya reckon there'll be any womenfolk?" With a predatory smile, Jayne went to his bunk to get gussied up.

XXXXX

The crew spent the evening in a cozy settlement, meeting, eating and drinking with Tracey's kin. Seemed half the folk in the town were related to him in some way or other. At the end of the night, as the crew were preparing to return to the ship, Tracey's pa pulled Mal aside. "I appreciate what you done for my boy, Captain," the older man said. "Ain't many these days can be relied on to pull a man through a rough patch like you did for him. If'n there's ever anything we can do for you and yours, just say the word. We ain't got much," he continued, waving off Mal's response, "but what we got we're like to share, you got the need. Come back anytime you need a safe place to hunker down for a while."

"I'm grateful," the Captain replied earnestly. "But meanin' no offense, I don't relish the idea of spending too much time here."

With a laugh, Tracey's father laughed. "I understand your reluctance, Captain. I don't rightly enjoy the weather overmuch myself." Chuckling together, Mal and the elder Tracey made their way to the coat rack. As the entire crew bundled into their cold weather gear, the extended Tracey family bid them farewell. The former private approached the Captain after a few moments, a strange expression on his face.

Somethin' on your mind, son?" Mal asked, wrapping his coat around himself and tugging on his gloves.

"Yeah, Sarge," Tracey responded. "I was wonderin' if I could ask you another big favor." Mal looked consent at the young man, and he went on. "I know I wanted to get home, and you did more'n you needed to just to get me here." Tracey paused momentarily, almost hesitant to ask his favor.

"Out with it, boy," Jayne grumbled. "I ain't aimin' to stand here all night, when my nice warm bunk is'a callin'."

"Sarge, I'd like to ask you to hire me on as crew," Tracey blurted. "I ain't got a notion how else I could earn any money to help get my folks off this frozen rock, and I'm guessin' you could use an extra gun hand." Trying to gauge Mal's response and failing miserably, Tracey said uncertainly, "Would you, please?"

Mal stood stock still for a moment, mildly surprised by the young man's request. A quick look at Zoë got a positive nod, and the Captain looked again at Tracey. "You know we don't exactly live a safe life?" Tracey nodded. "You willin' to follow my orders and Zoë's, even if you don't like 'em?" The other man nodded again. "You realize you're likely to be on Jayne's bad side, seein' as how my hirin' you's like to cut into his profits?" After a quick, nervous glance at the muscular mercenary, Tracey nodded again. "You got your pa's approval?" Mal and Tracey both looked to the older man, who nodded proudly. "Welcome to _Serenity_, then." Mal said, slapping the boy on the back.


	2. Part 1: Heart of Gold

**Disclaimer**: None of these characters are my creation. I can wish and dream, and play in Joss's 'Verse, but he owns the characters that own my heart.

* * *

Chapter 1: Heart of Gold

"That's the whorehouse?" Jayne asked.

"Boggles the mind, don't it?" Tracey asked. "Personally, I was expectin' a bit more ... flash."

Kaylee, excited, pointed at the walls. "Look, solar sheeting," she crowed. "Cheap power. Pretty smart."

"Hope the whores is prettier'n the house," Jayne mumbled. Tracey smiled.

The crew made their way into the house, where Inara introduced Mal and Zoë to Nandi. Jayne immediately got friendly with some of the girls. Mal, Zoë, Inara and Nandi headed off to talk shop. Jayne was led upstairs by one of the girls to begin taking his 'payment.' Book began to make a sandwich, then was approached by two girls who wanted to be read Bible verses. Petilene, the pregnant girl, was led out to meet Simon, who then followed her to a back room.

"Everybody's got somebody," Kaylee lamented. "Wash, tell me I'm pretty."

"I think you're pretty, Kaylee," Tracey interjected. Wash gave him a mild look of gratitude.

"I'm going to get a drink," the pilot said, thinking the two could use some time alone. Or, relatively alone, considering they were in the parlor of a crowded whorehouse.

"So, I'm pretty? Kaylee asked coyly, making moon eyes at Tracey. "Tell me more about me." She said as Wash walked out of earshot, chuckling.

XXXXX

"Come on people! Let's get to work," Mal said, after the crew of _Serenity_ and the whores of the Heart of Gold had discussed their plan. Simon had just led Petaline to a back room, the young woman's water having broken.

Wash and Zoë made their way outside to start laying booby traps, while Jayne dragged one of the girls upstairs to help him set up his guns. Kaylee wanted to walk out to _Serenity_ to find supplies for improving the waterworks, so Tracey volunteered to go with her. "I'd be happy to look out for her," he explained to Mal. "Besides, I'm sure you could use a hand hauling supplies," he added to Kaylee.

Back on _Serenity_, Kaylee made quick work of finding the necessary supplies. Tracey kept close to her the whole time, the two talking companionably all the while. Kaylee found herself liking the young man more and more as they spent longer stretches of time together. Simon had been distant recently – ever since the Captain agreed to let Tracey stay on as crew, as a matter of fact.

As the two were making their way back to the Heart of Gold, laden with supplies for the siege, Tracey looked over at Kaylee and smiled. "What're you lookin' at?" Kaylee asked with a grin.

"You got a smudge," Tracey said lightly. Kaylee began to rub her cheek against her shoulder, trying to get the grease off her face. "Don't bother, it's cute," Tracey said with another smile. The young man hesitated, seeming to think. Then he blurted, "I really like you, Kaylee." As the mechanic blushed, Tracey asked, "Next time we visit somewhere half civilized, can I take you out to dinner or somethin'?"

Kaylee blushed even more furiously, and ducked her head to hide the smile breaking across her face. She'd been hoping Tracey shared her feelings since he asked to join the crew. "I'd like that," she finally answered. "But..." Kaylee's words dropped off, and her embarrassment was palpable.

"What's wrong?" Tracey asked. "You seem to like me well enough. I just told you I like you. Is it the doc?"

"No, Tracey, that ain't it at all," Kaylee answered. "He ain't ever been in the picture. It's just..." Kaylee trailed off again, her cheeks burning. "Don't get me wrong, Tracey, I do like ya. And it ain't the Captain either. But ... Aw, hell, I don't even know your first name!"

Tracey, caught completely off guard by her admission, burst out laughing, causing Kaylee further embarrassment. She walked along, staring at her feet, until his laughter finally trailed off. "You never heard my family say it, did you?" Kaylee looked up at him and shook her head. "That's cuz my great-granddaddy was the one who named me." Kaylee looked the question at him, and he chuckled before he went on. "Ma and pa didn't exactly agree with the name, but ain't nobody in the family ever stood up to great-granddaddy. Whole family's just called me Tracey ever since the old badger kicked."

"But that's your last name, right?" Kaylee asked.

"Oh yeah," Tracey responded with good humor. "Whole family's got the name, but they figured callin' me by the family name was better than callin' me ... by my given name." Tracey was obviously reluctant to reveal his first name, but Kaylee harassed him most of the way back to the Heart of Gold. Finally, in a fit of pique, Tracey blurted, "It's Unwin, all right? No laughin'!" He exclaimed as Kaylee began to snigger. "Don't go tellin' anyone, will ya? 'Specially Zoë'n Sarge. I mean, Cap'n."

"My hand to god," Kaylee snickered. "Unwin." Kaylee was trying hard not to laugh, Tracey could tell, but that didn't make it easier for him to bear. "Why didn't you go by your middle name, if you hate your first so fierce?"

"Ain't no better," Tracey pouted. "Great-granddaddy got that one, too. Uriel." Kaylee could no longer hold in the great guffaws that had been threatening to erupt. "You wanna carry this stuff the rest'a the way yourself?" Tracey asked, trying to be angry.

"Don't matter none," Kaylee managed between gasping breaths. "We're here. U. U. Tracey, hah!"

XXXXX

The crew of _Serenity_ and the whores of the Heart of Gold had been amazingly lucky so far. Jayne had taken the gunner on the back of Burgess' hovercraft with his first shot, and so far none of the women of the bordello had been fatally wounded. Unfortunately, both Mal and Jayne had lost visual on Burgess. "Tracey!" Mal shouted over the sound of gunfire. "You injured?"

"Not a scratch, Sarge," Tracey returned. "What's the word?"

"Go 'round back and see if you can't get Burgess in sight," the Captain said. "I got a bad feelin' 'bout that one."

"Roger, Sarge. I'll be back soon." The former private ran down the stairs and through the halls toward the back door. When he reached it, he found the portal open. Chari, one of the girls of the house, was standing guard, looking outside at Burgess' empty hovercraft. "What the hell you done, woman?" Tracey exploded. Without waiting for an answer, he raced toward Petaline's room, a knot churning in his stomach. Suddenly, the young man heard a scream which could only have been made by the new mother.

Bursting through a door into the rear hallway, where Petaline's room was, Tracey saw Inara holding a knife to a man's throat. "No. This is your blood," she said. "Now you give over that child nice and slow, or I'll spill more than you can spare." The man, apparently Rance Burgess, handed the baby over to one of the whores standing nearby, who quickly slipped away. Tracey leveled his pistol at the man, making sure he had Inara covered in case anything went amiss.

At that moment, Burgess elbowed Inara in the gut, hard. The Companion fell, and Tracey fired. Rance had just whipped his laser pistol up toward Nandi, and he squeezed the trigger convulsively as Tracey's well placed bullet knocked him off-center. The laser blast scored along Nandi's side, knocking the former Companion to the ground with a cry of extreme pain.

Burgess stumbled to his knees, blood spouting from a hole in his right shoulder. He dropped the laser pistol, using his free hand to push himself off the floor weakly. As he grabbed the wall for support, Mal ran through the door behind Tracey. "Good job, son. I'll take it from here," the Captain said. Leveling his pistol at Burgess' face, Mal said, very low and threatening, "You better give me a damn good reason why I shouldn't put you down like the dog you are."

"Because that's my job," said an airy voice from the side. Mal looked over to see Petaline, weakly gripping the new baby in one arm, and a large pistol in her other hand. She leaned drunkenly against the door frame, Simon fretting like a mother hen behind her shoulder. "Rance, this is Jonah. Jonah, say hello to your daddy." Raising the pistol level with Burgess' face, Petaline said, "Say goodbye to your daddy, Jonah." Burgess paled. Petaline fired. Burgess collapsed, one bullet hole uglier than before. "Get that trash away from my baby," the new mother said almost indifferently.

As Simon helped Petaline and Jonah back to bed, and Tracey hurried to comply with the young whore's order, Mal spotted Nandi. She was lying where she'd fallen, a scorched channel running along her side. The Captain rushed to her side to inspect the damage. "It ain't bleedin'," she reported. "Laser cauterized it straight off. Hurts like hell, though." The former Companion was out of breath, and wouldn't move for fear of the pain it would cause. "Your doctor'll patch me up in due time, Mal. Please, go see to my people. I want those _hundans_ to know their fearless idiot leader is dead, and the fight's done." Mal nodded in consent, acknowledging her strength of will, and rushed off to see to the others.

In due course, all the men who had followed Rance Burgess into the fight were either dead, run off or rounded up. Those who were captured alive were bound on their knees in front of the house. Petaline once again made her way, with help from Tracey and Zoë, out of her room. She walked toward the group of men, pistol and baby still clutched to her. "You all go back where you come from. I ever see a one of you again, it better be as well behaved, payin' customers. You pay up front from now on, and if'n you start any ruckus, Nandi gave us leave to shoot first and ask questions never. We got an understanding?" The men all nodded. Each made his shaky way to his feet, and the group began to move defeatedly back toward town.

Petaline then turned to Chari. "You go with them. I know what you done, and you ain't welcome here anymore. You're lucky I don't shoot you down where you stand, like I did Rance." Chari was shivering in fear, but she nodded and moved brokenly to join the men. Moments later, Simon walked out of the house, Nandi gripping his shoulder for support.

Seeing the group of men walking toward town, Chari trailing, the mistress turned an approving gaze on the new mother and her small child. "You done good, Petaline," she said. "I don't reckon we'll see any more trouble from them." Looking at Tracey, she gave a weak smile. "Thank you, young man. You may very well have saved my life back there."

"Aww, weren't nothin', Miss Nandi," Tracey replied. "Only tryin' to do what's proper, and if it means shootin' a man in the back to save a beautiful woman, all the better." The group of men and women congregating around smiled and began to pat the young man on the back. Slowly, the gathering moved indoors, where those who were uninjured had already begun to clean up the mess and tend to the wounded.

XXXXX

"You'll come visit us again?" Nandi asked, as Mal and his crew prepared to leave.

"Often as we're welcome," Mal responded. "Though the way Jayne goes through women, I conjure that welcome's like to be used up mighty quick." Smiling, the Captain leaned down and placed a tender kiss on Nandi's cheek. "You keep in touch now, and let us know if there's anything we can do for you. I'm ... We're only a Wave away."

Catching the slip, Nandi smiled back. "I'll bear that in mind. We're not likely to forget this anytime soon, Malcolm Reynolds. You ever need a safe port of call, you let me know. This is a favor I'll always be happy to repay." Kissing Mal briefly on the lips, the former Companion turned and walked into the Heart of Gold. The building already looked as good as new, thanks to some manual labor on the part of the whores and _Serenity's_ crew. Mal shook his head disbelievingly and turned back toward the ship. _Quite a woman_, he though as he walked up the ramp.

* * *

_hundans _- bastards 


	3. Part 2: Objects in Space

**Disclaimer**: None of these characters are my creation. I can wish and dream, and play in Joss's 'Verse, but he owns the characters that own my heart.

* * *

Chapter 2: Objects in Space

Tracey was in his bunk. He didn't want to be in his bunk, he wanted to be with Kaylee. Unfortunately, that doctor she was smitten with was telling her funny stories in the common area. He'd have to turn up the heat a little if he wanted to distract the beautiful mechanic from that pompous, Core-bred sissy of a man. As he sat brooding, suddenly there was a lot of shouting coming from the cargo bay. Curious and happy to stave off his boredom, Tracey climbed the ladder to investigate the ruckus. He found most of the crew standing about, shouting at River, who was holding a large handgun pointed toward Simon and Kaylee. Tracey froze and, as he watched, the Captain reached forward and quickly grabbed the gun from her.

"Fully loaded, safety off," Mal said. "This here's a recipe for unpleasantness." He said in Simon's direction, "Does she understand that?"

"She understands," River said. "She doesn't comprehend."

"Well, I'm glad we've made that distinction," Mal replied irritably. "_No touching guns_, okay?"

"No touching," River agreed flatly. As she made her way out of the cargo bay, Simon called after her, but she shouted, "It's getting very crowded!" and disappeared down the corridor. Mal pulled Simon aside and they began a heated conversation. Tracey made his way quickly toward Kaylee.

"You all right?" he asked in concern. The little mechanic smiled gratefully at him. "Why don't we get out of here?" Tracey and Kaylee linked arms companionably, and she led him toward the galley. They sat down and talked for a while, and then Kaylee heard raised voices coming from the direction of the bridge. The two went to investigate.

Kaylee heard Zoë speaking, but only caught the tail end of what she was saying. "... far as we know, the girl's never even picked up a gun before."

"That ain't so," Kaylee interjected. When the four crew members already on the bridge looked at her, they could tell she was very unhappy.

"Kaylee, you got somethin' to say?" Mal asked. Jayne, Wash and Zoë stood by, waiting for an explanation of Kaylee's statement. Kaylee merely looked uncertain and uncomfortable, so Tracey suggested they all go sit at the big table in the galley, where they could at least be comfortable. Mal agreed, and sent Jayne to gather Simon, Inara and Book. He wanted everybody present for this discussion. Except, of course, River.

XXXXX

Once all nine people were gathered in the dining area, Mal asked Kaylee to explain what she had meant earlier. She told the story of her experience during Mal's rescue on Niska's SkyPlex, when River had shot down those three men with her eyes closed. The conversation quickly turned to River's 'abilities' after that, with the Captain suggesting that she might be a Reader. Book posited that the Alliance could have any number of uses for a psychic, and Zoë added that they could also make good use of an assassin. Simon became very upset then, and the conversation broke down. The upset doctor left the galley in a huff, and Kaylee followed quick on his heels. Tracey hung back, wanting to pursue Kaylee, but hesitant to disturb her and the doctor.

The two paused in the passageway, speaking in low tones. The shepherd walked up behind Tracey, and the young man managed to steer Book down the passageway, interrupting the conversation between Simon and Kaylee. Tracey smiled, secretly glad. He had a feeling the doctor had gotten closer to kissing Kaylee than he yet had, and that worried the hired gun a mite. As far as Tracey was concerned, this was a competition of Olympic proportions, and he intended to win it.

Tracey managed to waylay Kaylee as she was heading to the engine room, and went with her. They sat there, talking quietly, till well after most of the others had gone to bed. They heard the Captain's soft footfalls when he made his nightly rounds, then they were alone.

After a short time, Tracey yawned. "It's gettin' mighty late, Miss Kaylee. We should get ourselves off to bed."

Kaylee shook her head. "I still got work to do before I can sleep. Gotta make sure _Serenity's_ happy." Kaylee's dedication to the ship never failed to amaze Tracey.

_clank_

The two froze, listening to the hum of _Serenity's_ engine and the silence of the ship.

_clank_

Kaylee turned toward the door, searching for the cause of the noise. "River?" she asked softly into the darkness outside the engine room. "Hello?" She stepped hesitantly toward the open door, then turned around, intent on getting to work so she could make her way to bed soon. Tracey followed her with his eyes, admiring the way she managed to look so good even with grease smudged on her cheek.

Suddenly, a violent blow knocked Tracey to his knees. He didn't see what caused it, or much else for that matter. All he could see at that moment were stars dancing across his dim vision. He concentrated, and the deck plating came into focus for a second or two, before everything started to go black again. He didn't know how long he remained like that, but presently Tracey heard a frightened moan escape Kaylee's throat, and it was the only thing that kept him from losing consciousness completely.

As Tracey tried to gather his battered wits about him, Kaylee was being confronted by a slim, dark skinned man wearing a form fitting red spacesuit. She was instinctively afraid of him, and his calmly spoken threats of rape and death heightened her fear to nearly blinding terror.

Jubal Early, bounty hunter, tied Kaylee up, then stepped around to the other side of the engine, where Tracey was still lying on the floor, trying to make his body respond to his mind's commands. Tying him up as well, the man stepped out of the engine room, closing the door behind him. He had a bounty to collect.

XXXXX

Out in the ship, Early was threatening Simon, looking for River, and becoming very upset that his bounty was proving more difficult to collect than he had expected. In the engine room, Kaylee was struggling with her bindings and trying to wake Tracey in a whisper. She was terrified for that man to come back. Eventually, Tracey was able to clear his mind long enough to be concerned for the little mechanic. "Kaylee," he groaned, "you all right?"

"I'm okay," she whimpered back. "The man tied us up, though, an' he's lookin' for River."

"What man?" Tracey asked. "Is that what hit me? Felt more like a train." Tracey struggled to sit up, then remembered that the reason he couldn't move was that he was bound. He pulled lightly against his ties before giving up momentarily. "You got anything sharp in that toolbox of yours?"

Kaylee thought for a moment, then said, "Yeah, I reckon I got a knife in there somewheres. Lemme see if I can roll to it." Kaylee snaked her way closed to the box, then flipped over on her other side. Feeling about blindly, she eventually found what she was looking for. As she gripped it, though, she heard a familiar voice.

"Kaylee?" River's voice resonated through the engine room. "Kaylee, can you hear me?"

"River?" Kaylee asked with relief. "He tied us up, River. He hit Tracey then tied us both up. I found a knife, but I don't know if I can get this tape cut."

"You just have to be brave," River responded. "Don't worry, Tracey will protect you if anything happens. Won't you, Unwin?"

"Now how did you ..." Tracey began, exasperated. "Kaylee!"

"Don't blame her," River laughed. "She hasn't betrayed your trust. Just keep her safe." Tracey nodded, then remembered that she couldn't see it. He opened his mouth to answer her aloud, but was cut off. "Good. Thank you, Tracey." The young man froze, stunned.

Moments later, Tracey came back to himself and began to wriggle his way around the engine. When he finally made it to Kaylee's side, she was already working at her bonds with the knife. When she got through the tie on her wrists, she sat up and cut Tracey's bonds. Once both of them were free, they waited for River's instructions.

XXXXX

Kaylee and Tracey were tending to Book when they heard the gunshot. It came from the direction of the bridge, and Kaylee was instantly concerned for the doctor. What had he done? River's plan was so solid. The little engineer hoped he hadn't gotten himself killed. She was still very fond of him, despite her growing feelings for Tracey. The situation was very confusing for the woman – over a year since the last time she'd been with anyone, and now there were two men vying for her attention. Or, rather, one man giving her attention, and she still trying to get the other to notice her. She'd almost given up on Simon before that night, when he'd nearly kissed her before the shepherd walked by, interrupting. _Later_, she thought, returning to her ministrations over Shepherd Book.

XXXXX

Early exited the hatch, looking up to see his ship still following _Serenity_ perfectly. "You made the right move, darlin'," he said. "Best for you to go with old Early."

"You think so?" a voice asked. Early turned awkwardly to see the Captain standing behind him, looking smug. _I thought I locked him up!_ Early thought in panic. "Some of us feel differently," Mal said, as he shoved the intruder violently off his ship. He sailed out into space, bumping the wing of his ship with a jarring thud as he passed, sending him end over end into the Black.

Roughly half an hour later, by Early's reckoning, both ships were well out of sight. "Well, here I am," the man said to himself. He wasn't really upset anymore. He'd resigned himself to the fact that this was the end of Jubal Early, bounty hunter. Then, as he rotated, a beautiful sight met his eyes. A ship!

"And here I am, too," a voice piped over Early's helmet comm. Apparently, this traveler had picked up Early's lonely statement. "You seem to have had a not so pleasant run-in with _Serenity_," the voice said. "You in need of rescuing?"

"I'd much appreciate it," Early replied. "How do you happen to be out here, though? And how do you know it's _Serenity_ I got kicked off?"

"All your questions will be answered in time," the voice responded. "My name's Womack, and you're welcome to join me, if revenge is what you're after." As the Alliance agent finished speaking, a large door in the front of the hull of his ship opened, scooping up the drifting bounty hunter.


	4. Part 3: Those Left Behind

**Disclaimer**: None of these characters are my creation. I can wish and dream, and play in Joss's 'Verse, but he owns the characters that own my heart.

* * *

Chapter 3: Those Left Behind

Shepherd Book stood at the pulpit, saying an eloquent sermon before almost every member of the little settlement. He knew his primary duty was to keep the townsfolk occupied while Mal, Zoë and Jayne pulled a heist at the town's only bank. The thought that his preaching was serving as a distraction for a crime didn't sit well with the shepherd, but he knew that money was extremely tight on _Serenity_right now, and he had no desire to be stranded in the Black. They had all nearly died once already, thanks to a lack of funds to replace failing parts, and Book for one didn't wish to experience that specific fear again anytime soon.

Tracey sat quietly in the last pew, keeping an eye peeled for any type of trouble that might arise. He was nominally there to protect Book, but both men knew the shepherd was fully capable of taking care of his own self. Tracey's actual role was as gun hand in case it came to a quick getaway, since the shepherd wouldn't be very likely to kill, even should the need arise. The better odds lay in his being captured, which of course would necessitate a daring rescue. The crew wasn't completely averse to playing big damn hero, but it was nice to avoid those situations, if at all possible.

According to the schedule the Captain had set, and Tracey's watch, the job should be about done by now, if everything had gone smoothly. The young man was expecting to end this farce of a church service, walk back to _Serenity_, and be on his merry, nice and peaceful like. _Unfortunately_, he thought, _things never seem to run real smooth where this crew's concerned._ Just then, as if his very thoughts had summoned it, a siren began to blare. One of the churchgoers jumped up and ran to the window, shouting, "It's coming from the bank!" The building was nearly empty before Tracey could so much as curse, the only person remaining besides the shepherd and himself being an old, nearly immobile woman, waving her fists in the air and gnashing her toothless gums in a parody of speechless screaming.

"Shepherd..." Tracey began, but he was silenced by Book's swift gait as he ran down the central aisle toward the door. The younger man pulled out his pistol and stepped outside just in front of the preacher. Looking around warily, the two could see all the townsfolk running toward their houses, shouting to each other to grab this gun or fire up that vehicle. Glancing around their immediate vicinity, Tracey spotted a very quick-looking Mule that was blessedly untended.

Pointing at the empty vehicle, Tracey began to move that direction. Book stopped him with a hand on his upper arm, looking very uncomfortable with the concept of taking it without permission. "I don't know about that, son," the shepherd began. "The book says, 'Thou shalt not'-"

Tracey cut him off abruptly with, "...let your friends get lynched by an angry mob. I get it, preacher, good thinking. Let's move!" Without another word, Book beat Tracey to the driver's seat and fired the vehicle up.

"I don't like theft anymore than the next shepherd," Book said as they raced toward the bank, "but I like the thought of the Captain's spirit haunting me for the rest of my days even less. You make for a terrible conscience, young man." Tracey looked over at the shepherd and smiled mischievously, then went immediately back to scanning their surroundings for potential threats.

The duo reached the bank to see Mal, Zoë and Jayne wringing stinking water out of their clothes and hair. "Shepherd, Tracey," Mal greeted them, "didn't expect to see you two so soon."

"Go swimmin, Sarge?" Tracey joked. Despite his month or so on the ship, he still hadn't managed to drop his habit of using Mal's old army rank, but the Captain had long since adjusted to hearing himself referred to by the title again.

"Very funny," Mal answered. After a bit of light banter with the shepherd and Tracey, Mal called Wash to ask for a quick pickup. The crew raced through town, Book's driving skills impressing everyone while the others ducked incoming fire and returned some metal of their own at their pursuers. When Wash radioed to tell them to drive beneath the water tower at the refinery, Mal offered to take the wheel. Book, looking doubtful, declined.

When the tower came into view, hooked by a tow cable to _Serenity_, Tracey realized what they were about to attempt. He resisted the urge to scream as they drove beneath the collapsing tower, the water soaking everyone and effectively halting the pursuit for a few minutes. Tracey and Jayne were both a bit disappointed when Mal ordered everybody off the Mule and into the ship. "We could at least walk away with a bitty little payoff," Jayne grumbled as he dismounted. Tracey agreed, rather more loudly, before Mal finally snapped at them both to shut their traps.

However, Mal seemed to have a change of heart at the meaningful look Zoë gave him. "Shepherd, park it in the bay," he said, irritation in his voice. The two hired guns gave a little cheer, then promptly shut up as Book gave them a withering look. The preacher was about to protest, but Mal cut him off quickly. "Boys've got a point, shepherd," he said grudgingly. "We can't rightly walk away empty-handed, and we ain't got time to argue. Just do it." Book complied, a very unhappy look on his face.

"Ooh, a new toy!" Kaylee crowed when the Mule was parked in the cargo bay. "Good payday, huh?" Jayne looked over at Mal, his eyes smoldering, but the Captain stormed out of the bay without a word. "Umm, not a good payday?" Kaylee asked in a small voice.

"I gathered on the ride that things didn't go real smooth at the bank," Tracey commented as he walked up to stand beside the little mechanic. He tried to drape one sodden arm over her shoulder, but she ducked his reach with a look of playful disgust and went to inspect her new equipment.

XXXXX

When_Serenity_landed on Persephone a couple days later, Mal handed Wash the last of their savings and told him to take the old Mule out and sell it. Despite his protests, Kaylee had insisted on installing a tow hitch so that the new Mule could pull their small trailer, and Mal had realized the advantages of having a fast getaway vehicle. The Captain opened the hatch in preparation for Wash's departure, and as soon as the ramp was down, a large, imposing man with some kind of long staff strolled right up to Jayne. The mercenary promptly dropped the unknown man, to Kaylee's protests. "He was crowdin' me, and I don't know him. I hit people that crowd me I don't know," Jayne said in response to her loud protests.

A familiar voice reassured Kaylee from outside, and the crew turned to see Badger, surrounded by toughs, leaning against the driver's seat of a large Mule. "Mal, fancy some chitchat?" the 'businessman' asked.

"I'm listening, Badger," the Captain replied. When the toughs started making their way up the ramp, though, Mal signaled to Zoë, who pushed a button on the control panel, releasing hissing clouds of steam around the men. The armed members of the crew promptly drew their weapons and fired repeatedly into the cloud, downing Badger's hired muscle. Tracey and Jayne walked down the ramp, flanking Badger, and Mal 'invited' the man to board.

Once airborne, the Captain told Badger to spill his idea, or they'd throw him out the airlock from five miles up. As the diminutive man explained his plan, the eyes of the whole crew took on eager, hungry gleams. None of them were exactly happy that they were expected to loot the dead, but the payoff sounded good. Wash had landed by the time Badger had told all. As soon as the little man turned over the data chip with the coordinates on it, Mal promptly kicked him off the ship. "You've got a long walk ahead of you," the Captain called after him.

As Badger looked on from the desolate waste of the barren plain,_Serenity_took off into the Black once again, destined for the remains of the Battle of Sturges.

XXXXX

"It stinks like sex in here," River said quietly, once everybody was gathered on the bridge.

Agreeing with his sister, but ignoring the comment for the time being, Simon asked, "Captain, what am I looking at?"

"The Battle of Sturges," Mal replied solemnly. "More to the point, what's left of it. Zoë, Jayne," he continued, "suit up."

"Gorram, Sarge," Tracey said as he looked at the wreckage of the two large fleets floating in space over the black rock Sturges. "I thought Du-Khang was bad."

"You ain't seen nothin', son," Mal said, a slight hollow sound to his voice. "This is pretty damn bad, but you didn't have to live through Serenity Valley." Even Zoë shuddered a little at mention of that place, while the rest of the crew stared on, speechless. "Regardless," Mal continued, "we got a job to do. Let's do it."

XXXXX

Mal and his team were on the derelict treasure hunting when Simon came rushing back to the engine room. Tracey was very displeased with the doctor's timing, as it interrupted the very heavy flirting he and Kaylee had been engaged in. The other man seemed highly agitated, and was oblivious to Tracey as he told Kaylee they needed to inspect_Serenity's_ underside. Apparently, his crazy sister had babbled something about the ship's aching belly and, even more difficult to understand, the others heeded her words. Tracey followed the other two, concerned only because Kaylee was, to the cargo bay.

"Don't think we'll find nothin' on _Serenity's_ tum to get greasy over," Kaylee said as she opened the loading hatch in the floor of the bay. "I ran a full diagnostic last time we docked for more'n a day."

"I don't even remember when that was," Simon replied. Tracey had to agree with the statement. Despite the rivalry existing between the two, Tracey could acknowledge Simon's intelligence, wit and usually friendly disposition.

Kaylee began, "Me neither, now that you -" but was abruptly cut off. A man in a suit and tie leaped through the open loading hatch and grabbed the little mechanic's throat in one blue-gloved hand. Kaylee made a sick choking sound and grabbed the front of the man's fancy shirt in a death grip, but he threw her away from him. When her body was launched toward the ground, her balled fist took the front of the shirt with her. Beneath the fine suit, the two frozen men could see something neither would have expected. Their surprise visitor had on what looked to be a blue latex shirt, made of the same material as his gloves and studded here and there with little bumps that could be input jacks as easily as air holes.

Simon came to his senses first, running toward the weight bench with the apparent idea of using the weight bar as a weapon. Tracey, reacting only slightly slower, was nonetheless the faster in his response. Quick-drawing his pistol, which he always kept belted on since falling in with this crew, he fired two rounds at the blue suited man before the weapon was even chest height.

The blue clad man sank slowly to the ground, the bullets apparently having done their job quickly and efficiently. Tracey didn't have time to celebrate, however, as a second suited man poked his head through the hatch, gun pointed at the young man.

Tracey swung his weapon around and squeezed the trigger, but the round misfired, and the other man managed to get a shot off before he could dive out of the way. As the young man hit the ground, he felt pain blossoming in his side. He knew, with the certainty only a war veteran could have, that he wasn't hit in a critical spot. However, the agent was starting to lift himself past the hatch doors, and there was no way Tracey could make it to cover in time to avoid a killing shot.

At that moment, though, Tracey's wide, frightened eyes spotted Simon, raising the weight bar behind the blue-handed man's back. With a sickening crunch, the weights on the end of the bar caved the back of the man's skull in, and he sank to the ground, dead. "Thanks, doc," Tracey said, relief evident in his voice. "I'm beholden to ya."

Just then, Shepherd Book raced in, shock registering on his face when he saw the two dead men. "What happened here? I heard the shots."

"River knew they were coming," Simon answered. "I don't know where they came from, but they won't be bothering us again."

Kaylee looked back at the loading hatch unhappily. "Cap'n won't like that we got another ship hooked to our belly," she said quietly. "Can't get it off till we get dirtside, though. Leastways, not without someone in that cockpit to disengage the airlock."

Tracey looked at Kaylee and Simon with a bit of surprise. "The preacher I can understand," he began. "You two, though, I just don't get. I thought this was s'posed to be a ship full'a criminals." All three of the others gave Tracey confused, curious looks. "You got a great bit'a illegal loot literally right under your feet, and you just wanna throw it away?" At the looks of sudden comprehension from the others, Tracey smiled winningly. "See, what we oughta do, if'n Mal ain't too opposed to it, is fence our new ship to the highest bidder, next halfway civilized planet we happen to land on."

XXXXX

Once Wash docked to pick up the others, both sides got to tell their story. Apparently, there hadn't been any cash hiding in the wreck. There had been, however, a crew of bloodthirsty mercenaries led by Dobson, former special agent for the Alliance. Mal had shot him in the other eye, leaving him for dead a second time. Tracey, Kaylee and Simon told their tale, the others sitting in silent shock the whole time. When the Captain heard Tracey's proposal to sell off the ship the BlueSun agents had arrived on, he gave a grudging okay to the idea.

"I don't like the idea of keepin' that burr hooked to our underside till we can get to land," he said, "but the profit from sellin' it off ought to at least offset what we didn't get from this job. Speakin' of," he added thoughtfully after a moment, "I think we owe Badger a visit. I reckon he's got a bit of explainin' to do."

XXXXX

_Serenity_ landed on Sihnon a week later, the pockets of the crew a bit fatter after a quick stop on Persephone to fence the BlueSun ship and have a little 'talk' with Badger. Two young apprentice Companions were on hand to help Inara with her personal effects. The crew said a tearful farewell, except for Mal, who stood off to the side silently through the whole affair.

When Inara turned to him, he could see unshed tears in here eyes. He couldn't think what to say, though he was bursting to say something, anything to keep her near him for even a moment longer. When she saw that the Captain wasn't going to say anything, Inara turned away from him. "Very well," she said over her shoulder. "Try not to get anyone killed in my absence."

XXXXX

Out in the Black, two days out from Sihnon, Shepherd Book made the announcement that he was planning to leave the ship also. He told the crew at dinner, and everybody was shocked except the Captain. "You know yet where you want to set down?" Mal asked, indicating to the others that he had already known. None of them were very happy about that fact, though nobody chose to say anything. The Captain had been on a razor's edge ever since Sihnon, and nobody wanted to be the one to set the volatile man off.

"I reckon Haven would be a good place to set down my roots," Book answered. "I hear tell they could use a shepherd, and you know_Serenity's_ always welcome there. Would that be an imposition?"

"Not at all," the Captain replied after a moment's consideration. "I'm sure we could all use a break anyhow, and the folks there have always been good to us, as you say. We'll get there soon's we can."

A week later, _Serenity_ lifted from Haven, lighter by one more person and another little piece of the heart of each crew member.


	5. Interlude: Perceptions

**Disclaimer**: None of these characters are my creation. I can wish and dream, and play in Joss's 'Verse, but he owns the characters that own my heart.

* * *

Interlude: Perceptions

_First Inara, now Book_, Mal thought grimly as _Serenity_ lifted off Haven. The crew had spent a week among the settlers there, enjoying the rare break dirtside and taking their time with their farewells to the shepherd. At first, Mal had thought of Inara as a boarder and a convenient ticket to the more reputable planets. Similarly, he had thought of Book as a fare, just a piece of paying cargo he was supposed to transport from one place to another. Somewhere along the way, though, they'd become part of the crew. While Mal wasn't looking, someone had gone and made them _family_.

Now his family was splintered, and he couldn't help but wonder why. Seemed things had been going downhill since that stop on Persephone so long ago, when they'd taken on passengers for extra coin. Granted, Book had become something akin to the crew's conscience, and having a doctor on board had no end of usefulness. Also, Mal had to admit – at least to himself – that River had a way of growing on people. However, the trouble the Tams had brought to his life outweighed the benefits more often than not. The Captain found himself more and more often these days snapping at Simon and becoming short tempered when River had a bad day. He knew he shouldn't take his bad mood out on them, but recently it just seemed to _happen_.

What Mal didn't realize, but a few of the other members of the crew had been picking up on, was that this shortness of patience was wearing poorly on the Tam siblings, driving a wedge into the crew that seemed destined to fragment _Serenity's_family further. Simon had been prone to more vocal disagreements with the Captain lately, and River had been keeping to herself more often. In the last few days, the young girl had hidden away more than once, and on those occasions, nobody had seen her for the better part of the day.

Mal was torn from his ruminations quite suddenly by an urgent exclamation from Tracey. "Sarge!" he shouted over the sound of the new Mule's engine."Looks like trouble!" Tracey was watching their rear for signs of pursuit, after a particularly lucrative 'business opportunity' had gone south. Mal was riding shotgun, with Zoë driving and Jayne in the fourth seat. Indeed, the young man was right, Mal saw as he looked behind them. A large group of armed men on horseback was trying desperately to catch up to the quick-moving Mule.

"Wash," the Captain shouted through the comm unit, "we need a quick exit!"

"Do we ever make any other kind?" Wash quipped in reply.

While the foursome of crooks made a hasty retreat to _Serenity_, Mal's thoughts once again drifted to the past, though not as far back this time. He started thinking about this last job. It had started off well enough, really. They had walked into town, not wanting to draw any attention with the loud, flashy Mule they had acquired during the last bank heist. Wheels like that were bound to draw the eye, as Tracey had so succinctly put it before the job. This was another heist, unfortunately, orchestrated by the brothers Fanty and Mingo. The crew were beginning to get low on funds again, and the job sounded simple enough, which was why Mal had agreed to it after the last botched attempt.

Once inside the bank, the crew had gone to work with a smoothness they weren't used to. Tracey managed, somehow, to pull the team together so well it felt as if he'd always been a member of the crew. At the last moment, unfortunately, a random passerby heard the commotion inside, and spread word to the rest of the settlement. The crew barely managed to sneak out a back exit during the shooting, and the bank manager's very fine hover-Mule was parked out there. Now it seemed the entire town was on their collective tail, led by the sheriff and the bank manager.

When Mal's team made it to the ship, they had only enough time to drive straight up into the cargo bay and for Jayne to jump off and hit the button that closed the ramp. Mal called Wash on the comm to let him know they were safely aboard, and the ship was in the air. _Good thing we managed to get away with the coin_, Mal thought as the ship sailed into the Black. _Least this way Fanty and Mingo are like to keep givin' us jobs._

XXXXX

A week later, as Mal delivered the twins' cut and received another bank heist proposal from them, he was still thinking about his fracturing family. For some reason, he just couldn't get out of his mind the thought that, somehow, all the woes of the past year stemmed back to that day on Persephone. The Alliance had been after them nonstop ever since. They'd had to deal with a psychotic bounty hunter. They'd had to lay even lower than normal. They'd even had to rescue the siblings from kidnappers, when they'd got themselves took on an ass-backward world. _Leave it to those two to almost get burned at the stake in one day_, he thought.

Mal took the job the twins offered, more to keep the crew busy than because they were desperate for the cash. Of course, the coin was appealing. Alliance payroll, local guards. Sounded easier than the last job, not that the last one had turned out quite right. Now they just had to wait until the next payday, which was still three weeks off. Mal decided the crew could use the free time to visit some old friends. There was a certain moon he'd been itching to make a stop on for some time now. Good thing it was on the way.

XXXXX

"Mal, this is a pleasant surprise," Nandi said three days later, when_Serenity's_ crew walked through the front door of the Heart of Gold. The former Companion swept forward gracefully to embrace the Captain. When the two finally broke apart, the house mistress turned to Tracey. "And you," she said affectionately. "Thank you once again for saving me." Addressing the whole crew, she announced, "Y'all are welcome here as long as ya like to stay, long's you're willin' to do some chores. Our house is your house, so make yourselves at home."

Jayne took exceptional heart to her comment. Rushing over to Helen, the tall blond who'd passed him his guns during the shootout months back, he said boisterously, "So, that mean it's time to start getting' sexed again?" The two disappeared to the back somewhere, while Nandi greeted the rest of the crew. Simon asked to see Petaline and Jonah, as a sort of checkup.

Everybody got settled in comfortably, though a few of the girls lamented the absence of Shepherd Book, and Nandi had more than one question regarding Inara's departure. Later that night, when most folk were sound asleep, Mal and Nandi sat up drinking again.

"Tell me again why you think she left," Nandi requested, after they'd had a few drinks.

Mal looked uncomfortable, but said, "I reckon it's on account'a me, somehow. I just can't conjure what I did that sent her packin' so sudden-like."

Nandi smiled a bit before she said, "I gather from the Waves I've gotten from her that it's not so much something you did, as it was something she couldn't do." Mal looked profoundly confused, so Nandi explained. "I didn't tell you this, because 'Nara would absolutely kill me if she knew I did. She couldn't stay on that ship anymore, Mal. Your personality was just too strong for her." Another look from her drinking partner prompted her to continue. "Companions aren't really allowed to have personal relationships. Did you know that?"

"I'm sure she mentioned it once or twice," Mal replied. "But what's that gotta do with her leavin' _Serenity_?"

"Oh you thick-headed man!" Nandi burst out. "The woman's been in love with you for the past year, and you've been so busy trying to hide your own feelings for her that you never saw it!" Mal looked shocked, from the dual blow that Inara apparently felt the same way he had for so long, and that it was so plain to see.

"Am I really that easy to read?" Mal asked, hurt. "Or is that just your 'professional skills' at work?"

Stung slightly by his words and tone of voice, Nandi snapped, "You silly man, everybody on your ship knew you two felt the way you did except yourselves. I didn't need to be Companion trained to see how you felt, and it only took one look after we spent the night together to know how she felt." Mal was stunned by the way this conversation had gone, and it showed. Nandi continued, wanting him to know the whole truth now that it was out. "It's a good thing she's gotten over you, Malcolm Reynolds. It was starting to affect her job. I have to know, though, and I want the truth: Are you over her?"

"Are you sayin' our night's over if I'm not?" Mal asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I ain't sayin' any such thing," Nandi replied, apparently calmed by the Captain's joking tone. "Who am I to turn away good house chores?" With a suggestive lift of her eyebrow, the mistress of the house poured him another drink. "I still want an honest answer, though," she said after a few silent moments.

"I'm thinkin' on it!" Mal said in mock frustration. After a sip of his drink and another quiet minute, he answered her with a straight face. "I reckon I am over her, Nandi, but distance might make that easier to believe. If she was still on _Serenity_, who knows how I'd have to answer that." Mal reflected, suddenly, that these past few days he'd done more truly deep thinking than he'd given his life in quite a while. He'd been flying blind, moment to moment, for so long that it had become second nature to violently suppress anything that resembled an honest emotion.

Filing this observation away for future contemplation, Mal settled down more comfortably on the couch, smiling lazily at Nandi. She looked into his crystal blue eyes and said, "I can see where problems would arise living in such close quarters with a man like you, Captain Reynolds." She returned his smile before grabbing his glass and setting it aside, along with her own.

"What say we explore some close quarters outside the ship?" Mal asked invitingly. As the two began to explore each other with hands and mouths, Mal thought it was a good thing he didn't feel the same about Inara anymore. This woman had thoroughly captured his attention, and he planned to devote every bit of himself to this night.


End file.
